The Cincinnati Bengals are getting ready for what should be a fun season in 2026 following a tough 2025 year.
Cincinnati has completely revamped the roster, most notably on the defensive side of the ball. But the team also dealt with multiple injuries across the team, which limited the overall ceiling of the group.
One player who Cincinnati was without last season was tight end Erick All Jr., the Bengals’ four-round selection in 2024 out of Iowa. All Jr. missed the entire 2025 season after tearing his ACL in November 2024.
All Jr. spent four years with the Michigan Wolverines before transferring to Iowa in his final season. With the Hawkeyes, All caught 21 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns over seven games.
Cincinnati Bengals Given Great Update on Erick All Jr.
However, according to Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin, All has now been cleared for “full activity” heading into training camp. The Bengals will have a progression plan in place for the tight end while he ramps back up to playing shape.
This approach by the Bengals makes sense since All has not logged a complete season since 2021. The tight end had some bad injury luck at Michigan before tearing his ACL in 2023 with Iowa.
However, this update is excellent news for the Bengals as the offense looks to continue its domination on the field this season. When the Bengals selected All in 2024, the team had high hopes for him within this offensive system.
In nine games played as a rookie in 2024, before the injury, All caught 20 passes for 158 yards. As he recovers, All will be competing for playing time against other tight ends such as Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample, and Tanner Hudson in the Bengals’ rotation.
Playing time could be tough to come by for All, but he’ll have a full training camp to impress the coaching staff, plus the preseason. All is one of the more complete tight ends on the Bengals’ roster, compared to one-dimensional players like Sample and Gesicki.
Could All Be the Cincinnati Bengals’ Missing Piece?
All can both be a pass-catcher and blocker, which could give the Bengals offense more of a well-rounded feeling to it. If he can remain healthy, he could add a different element to this offensive attack that the Bengals haven’t had in recent years.
The tight end plays with athleticism in his route tree, while being capable of stretching the field with his catching skills. All has a nice blend of elusiveness, while bringing toughness after the catch, giving quarterback Joe Burrow some burst to work with.
His blocking ability could use some more work, but he’s shown the ability to do damage in the past. Overall, All has the making of a true comeback story for the Bengals if he can be productive this season.
Cincinnati will be trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 2022, with the team being given some Super Bowl hopes. If All can stay on the field, he could end up playing a bigger role than expected, giving Cincinnati a boost throughout the season.
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